Set your reminder friends, TEACHERS, PARENTS & TEENS – You’re invited to join in as we open the discussion about our American Educational System!! What are your concerns as kids return to school? Are their Racial Issues; Low Income Meals; After School Activities; Are kids getting a positive learning environment with the support from teachers & school officials? Do you worry about teachers possibly harming or sexually approaching your child? Would they tell you if it happened? School Violence is on the increase and today’s children deal with constant harassment, bullying, and online condemnation everyday. Their struggles today are unlike any other generation, are you prepared and do you have a relationship which encourages your child or teen to openly discuss their challenges? JoinPatricia A. Mcknight live Sunday evening at 9pm central time for your Voices InJustice discussing our American School Systems. Don’t forget to invite your friends & family to call in live or join the chatroom discussion. There’s a lot we need to address to ensure ALL CHILDREN & FAMILIES are given the open support they deserve to protect our children’s education. Looking forward to hearing music by Marc Joseph Ludeman!!!

Get your copy of ‪#‎MyJustice‬ thru most online resources. Your story may not be the one to make it big, but consider why your writing it in the first place. I’m amazed at the hundreds who have changed their lives, found courage to seek help and speak up. This true horrible story sadly still impacts my grandchildren’s lives. It’s not about making it big, it’s about making it end!

Honestly I’m quite stunned by the way this story has made it so far. College courses, outstanding five star reviews, and absolutely incredible press articles shared across the country. From New York to Australia, to the U.K. and in the San Francisco Journal. Even more important for me are all those persons who read this and then passed it on to someone still lost in the pain and silence. Find your voice, share your story, it will touch someone’s heart somewhere. xoxoxo Trish

Please permit me first to thank you for your time of service to our country. You have lead the way to many changes which I hope will continue to inspire freedom and respect for others in our nation, as well as around the world, for many centuries to come. Through your joint work with Vice President Joe Biden, you have successfully updated our nation’s Child Protection Act, Violence Against Women Act, and implemented the Human Trafficking Protections Act. You’ve enforced better services to men & women who soldier to protect our country’s freedoms and enhanced victims services and prevention strategies to end the cycle of violent crimes not only against children, but against all persons.

This is the 3rd or 4th time I’ve actually sent a letter to you these past few years. It is in those I write speaking as an adult survivor, one of the estimated 45+ million adult survivors in our country. These are persons from at least three or four generations and we have watched the level of personal violence grow to bleed into every small American town across the country. We are those who have endured the day after day, year after year, continued decades of battle to survive the harm as children, then grow in self destruction as we try to develop in the aftermath of extreme physical, sexual, emotional pain; most of which has occurred right within the safety of our family home.

Today sir, I have become a strong recovering advocate voice in the mission to empower new ideas in prevention and recovery. Also, in the many professional trainings and research, I’ve put together and present locally an inside look at these types of taught human behaviors, and the judgment rather than assistance, silence rather than reporting these painful and horrific actions against the smallest of persons which has been taught throughout our human existence.

How tragic is our world when acts of Child Sex Trafficking, Exploitation, and brutal harm, which is nothing less than terroristic types of cruelty, is the most protected topic around the world? In researching topics, I’ve broken down the Child Maltreatment Report FFY 2011; would you be shocked to know that 3.7 million reports of maltreatment were entered across the nation, but 2.3 million of those reports didn’t even receive an investigation? The horrific numbers of children being harmed in our country, yet so many soldiers go out to sacrifice their lives so that we can live in America protected by the Inalienable Right to Be SAFE; to live free, free from harm and free from fear. Is this not something that should be a priority for our entire country? Sadly sir, there are very few who are actually speaking and when they do they never address the issue of truth; the greatest numbers of harm to our children and the greatest numbers of Domestic Child Sex Trafficking is committed by the close family within our home.

In our human society, not just in America, it is those who have complete access to control, manipulate, degrade, and threaten, imposing grievous harm or a believed sense of certain death, fear of being sent away; it is these persons who maintain constant fear to ensure child’s silence, tolerance, and protecting their abuser “Family Terrorist” from ever being prosecuted for their actions? The 2011 report reveals statistics; 1 in 9 Sexual Abuse, 1 in 3 Physical Abuse, and over 1500 child deaths were confirmed as a direct result of neglect or physical harm. The emotional turmoil inside of a child living within a circle of family, neighbors, friends; yet abandoned believing no one cares about the terror and harm which haunts their home. How can someone not report when they see the outward signals and determine a sense of need? What happens to the example we give our children and youth if the most dangerous place in the world they know is their very own home, and so many people and family around them do absolutely nothing to help? We have used these abusive actions to control and silence our children in tolerating the many crimes against them, which traps these young persons in self absorbing horror while protecting their abuser, the only terrorist they know.

Yes sir, I do realize how strong of word ‘terrorist’ is; however, when children endure these truly torturous types of harm throughout their entire lives; it is a trauma of dark pain and ugly secrets that our human society knows exists but we cannot face. As one article I’ve read states so honestly; ‘Not even discussed in private rooms’. Is it our own adult neglect to protect from these actions or in the times we’ve simply turned away from a hurting child?

As of now, myself and two other strong advocates, have developed an ongoing petition as referenced above. This petition has written out 10 specific guidelines we would like to see implemented to end these types of crimes across the country, but more importantly influence the life of children around the world. Already more than 550 have signed and we will keep this going for as long as it takes, until a resolution is found and we can begin teaching new behaviors of good rather than pain and uphold the laws of protection to include those who are too little to defend themselves, too young to understand, or not even able to speak at all. Sir we must do something and I am praying you will choose to take just one more courageous step, please sir initiate a Federal Level complete review to update, revise, and implement whatever strategies necessary to protect our children; especially when the family, schools, community around them will not.

The basis for the mentioned guidelines is taken from two parts; first our American Constitution and the amendments there in which give the right to freedom for all persons, the right to be protected under the eyes of law as equal, without regard to race, religion, economic standing; without regard to age, gender, or place of residence within our country. We all, as Americans, have an inalienable right to be safe, be protected, and be free. Part two of the research to put this together is the rights written into law, December 1948 by United Nations General Assembly Committee; The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. One member of this committee was our country’s Ms. Eleanor Roosevelt and in these are stated what shall be upheld as the highest laws of all mankind; our world laws. Articles 1 – 8 of these writes very clearly the rights of all beings to live free; free from harm & free from the fear of harm. In this is also the rights to be protected under the laws of our world; not even prisoners can be treated in such a torment and tortured existence what often happens to our children.

The term ‘terroristic abuse’ or ‘family terrorist’ is one which describes extreme situations of harm; taken from the definition –‘To inflict or cause/create a threat of grievous bodily injury or a believed sense of certain death in order to maintain control over another person, party, or entity’. These are definitely the actions of some of the harms our children are forced to handle in silence, because if their family abuser finds out they are trying to reach outside help or that they could be prosecuted for the pain they inflict; there is a risk of certain death or grievous injury which just might become permanent for them.

You might be asking, ‘why would a person relate to such actions as grievous injury or death inside their home’? I am one of these survivors who barely made it out alive, and definitely not without permanent injury, which has taken away my independence and my hard earned career in business management/customer service. The actions of extreme physical and sexual harm have resulted in my going on early disability from the permanent spinal cord injury and multiples of head concussions from more than 30+ years of these evils, beginning at age five.

My mother married a man she had been warned about by his adult son. He told her how horrific the temper and disgustingly sadistic the actions of Malcolm White, but my mother chose to marry him then gave him complete control over me. He would have done anything she asked of him; he felt very lucky to have such a beautiful small woman marry him. Immediately he attacked me that first night in front of my older brother and two of our neighbor boys he was babysitting the night of my mother’s bridal shower. He used force and terror when he probed and molested me in front of them, then he shoved me on the floor and sent me away, threats of much worse if anyone said a word.

Age five was just his beginning, for the next twelve years he controlled every moment of my life, set down rules I had to follow ‘or else’, then he would attack night after night all with my mother, brother, or sister or others who witnessed. At around 11 he began exploiting me for beers at the small town local bar, then he took me to private tug boat parties, he had multiples of parties at our house, he sold me/traded me/used me in sex trafficking acts or exploitations which lasted up to the moment of my leaving home at 17 years old. I begged for my mother to help me many times, but instead of helping she enforced his control over me and rarely allowed me to leave the house. I always had something I had to do in servitude; cleaning for my family, cooking, caring for my sister, or answering the ring of my stepfather’s little brass bell. My mother allowed me to rot away at his hands; it wasn’t safe to bathe in my home and from age 12 to 17, I didn’t bathe at all. The filth filled the crevices of my young body and layered over my skin, face, and hair. About six months after I stopped bathing sores started breaking out as infection and rot covered the little girl I used to be. My teeth rotted and broke off from never being given a toothbrush or any form of medical or dental care over all those years. Not once in all the persons who knew me, knew my family, or in my school system; not a single person ever questioned my care or taught me that I deserved anything kind or decent. They came to the sex parties, the weed, alcohol, and the child they could pay money to play with or be entertained by; maybe even take me in my room or into the camper on the back of his truck.

Sadly Mr. President this was the only existence I knew and I believed I deserved it all. It became what I expected and what I learned to tolerate in my adult relationships and then it bled to invade my children’s lives and still impacts the emotional distress and safety of my grandchildren. I am sickened by all of it and I’ve made a promise that I will do whatever is in my power; to somehow make a difference in how our children are protected today.

Since having to go on full disability about five years ago, I’ve devoted my time and energy into studying, publishing, and sharing what I’ve found out in the research to produce and host more than 200 hundred talk radio web-based programs. I found that our Centers for Disease, National Institute of Mental Health, National Coalition to End Domestic Violence, National Child Traumatic Stress Network and even our Department of Health Human Services all have many published articles about the influence/life altering impacts from the actions of maltreatment and brutal harm. We have studies revealing the levels of Frontal Lobe Brain Impairments from the constant threat of harm; the longer these types of harms are inflicted the more serious levels of distorted perceptions, learned harmful behaviors, coping strategies which become addictions, and the inner turmoil when the victim cannot speak to others. We also know there is an estimate of more than $140 Billion annually that our nation spends in the lifetime recovery costs and prevention measures within communities. However, what I’ve found through the many trainings I’ve attended these last few years in my efforts to heal & help prevent these crimes; Parent or close family makes for 95.4% of these tragedies. Stranger & types of harm by a coach, church official, or neighborhood friend only accounts for 6.6% of the harm to children.

It infuriates me, not just because I was one of those tortured, trafficked, and community abandoned children; but more because it’s what the service providers in my South Central Illinois area are still confirming in cases today. This is why these two local providers have decided to support the recommendations and petition request for a complete Federal Level Review & Update in our nation’s Child Protective Services, Family Judiciary System, and Criminal Prosecution of these most heinous offenders; those who terrorize their children into silence; those who protect the ‘Family Terrorist’ who trafficks their children for money, drugs, or simply because they can, then uses acts of brut force to trap the child forever in self loathing destruction, addictions, and for many resulting in suicide. It is the truth of these ongoing personal attacks and harms within our homes, which is the example of violence which causes more harm to mankind as a human race than any other harm or battle in the world.

Mr. President your family has been such a positive role model for our American Society and I believe, also around the globe. I know your values have inspired many changes and now I hope that sometime before your service in our country’s highest office of power is down, I pray sir you will help us ensure that our systems, our prosecutions & family services, are doing all that is within knowledge and within our constitutions rights to uphold these protections, hold the offenders accountable and forfeit their assets to help provide victims services and life skills development to help those harmed to fulfill their dreams and become self sufficient productive members of society.

In this letter I’ve attached a copy of the recommended guidelines we have listed on the active petition, but in short the main changes I feel necessary are as follows;

1> Prosecute sexually related actions/interactions with a minor child age 0 to 15 years, committed by a person 18 years or older, as a Federal Offense with sentencing from a minimum of 5 years to Life in Prison.

2> Prosecute ‘terroristic’ actions, those which cause or create direct grievous bodily injury, threats or direct harm from weapons, child trafficking, exploitations, and other such harms which are used to manipulate or silence a victim, protected from revealing identity or prosecuted for their crimes; these types of actions committed against a person 0-15years as a Federal Criminal Offense, leading to sentencing from 5 years to Life in prison.

4> Implement a full investigation into Family Judiciary System and Child Protective Services across the nation to determine faulty systems or lack of appropriate decisions based on what is the safest possible solution for the child rather than money making profit for the states or country.

5> Implement a mandatory THREE STAGE REVIEW for every report of child maltreatment entered into our National Child Abuse & Neglect Data System across the country; above all else protecting the child too small too defend themselves from persons within their home, family, or community who otherwise have harmed or trafficked them.

In closing Mr. President, I do hope to hear from your office, or from you personally. Perhaps you will consider the information I’ve shared here and help us provide a positive change for our children’s future, the greatest possible change we can give them, ensuring they are SAFE.

Will you help pass my story on to someone you know.? We are trying to draw attention to the act of ‪#‎TerroristicAbuse‬ and my story is just one of those;
**Warning may be too graphic for some readers, please use care when viewing**

“Patricia, someone who’s finally climbed to the other side of her life, but not without great friends supporting her and challenges which she had to battle through on her own. Her heart & spirit are sincere, true, authentic and in what she’s doing today she hopes to help as many people as possible change their views about these types of crimes, which are very real, very painful and do exist within our families every single day.

Patricia, ‘Trish’, has worked her way through recovery and rebuilding with the love of a wonderful man, good friends, and believing in having fun. Her greatest pleasure and place where she feels at peace is riding on the back of her husband’s Harley Davidson and cruising on a hot Summer’s day.
“We need to enjoy our life, it is a precious gift.”

“I know it hurts that someone has committed awful acts against you, but taking back your right to life, liberty and security in your person is not only a possibility, but it is a necessity. You have so much more to live for and a life waiting for you to create through your own special focus and magic.”

Yesterday friends it was so exciting to see the broadcast of personal interview with #EricSteltzer from #WANDtv, I-Team Investigation,NewsCenter17 Central Illinois. Survivors Advocate Patricia McKnight, invited by Ms. Dana Pfeiffer, Grounds of Grace, nonprofit, and Congressman Rodney Davis pushing measures to block web based sex trafficking. This interview may be too graphic for many, so please take care.

Sadly, there are more and more cases of child sex trafficking popping up in the unexpected small rural communities across America everyday. For this survivor the memories are no less than living with her own personal ‘Family Terrorist’ day in and out, throughout her entire childhood; ‘It was the night of my mother’s bridal shower, when I had just turned five. My brother and two neighbor boys were in the same room.’

Ms. Dana Pfeiffer, Exec. Director Grounds of Grace, is on the streets and in the homes of those in the Springfield & Jacksonville area. She’s found the most common form of human trafficking her organization is seeing with the victims they assist, it is family members using and selling the children in their home. The youngest victim they’ve seen, just 2 years old- and the oldest 68 years.

It is sadly an extremely profitable business as a human being can be sold time and time again. Unlike drugs or guns, a human being can bring in a profit over and over again. Personally, through her talk radio program, Patricia has interviewed others and the big warning she gives with regard to ‘terroristic acts of abuse’ is also to realize the Gang related human trafficking. The children in homes of alcohol, drugs, fear, violence are High Risk Children and the Gangs will lure them in for drugs or sex on our neighborhood streets, in our schools, and ONLINE!! One such woman, Samantha Kierra of Oklahoma was used as a teen by one gang and is now helping other young girls from falling prey to that same situation.

Patricia McKnight, a survivor of years of trauma and terror in Familial Sex Trafficking. The first time she was used in sex trafficking, she was just 11 years old and it occurred at a very public local bar in her small hometown of Freeburg, Illinois. Her stepfather’s instructions were direct and simple as he was getting her drunk on vodka & orange juice, ‘Go over there and play that jukebox girl. You best be shaking that butt of yours too. Make these guys want you so they’ll buy me some beers.’ It was then that he asked one of the young coalminer patrons, ‘How would you like to take my daughter outside?’

There have been many situations she says where he used & sold her for late night parties held at her childhood home. She would receive a call on a late Friday evening, and her mother turned away from her young daughter saying; ‘Have fun’ as she walked into her bedroom and closed the door, leaving Patricia to fend for herself.

Patricia tells us, ‘There would commonly be 10 or 12 men show up at our house. I would be the one as their toy, sent from lap to lap, this hand and that hand, this man and that man’; everyone permitted to touch and play with her as they filled her with alcohol and marijuana to lower her inhibitions.

Sadly this is a very common practice and as many community members knew back then what was happening, so they still do today. There are people around young children in unhealthy situations today; family members, family friends, neighbors, and others who see the outer signs of a self destructing child. These children are not allowed to talk about what’s happening because of the extreme threats of harm used to control and manipulate them. ‘It’s about protecting the predator/abuser in our family. It’s about making sure they are never arrested and that the child believes no one cares, no one will help them, they will be sent away if they tell.’

At 12 yrs old Patricia’s stepfather used his favorite shotgun to rip her insides apart after she asked her mother to help her , she wanted her ‘mom’ to make him stop his vicious molestations, exploitations, and trafficking of her daughter. ‘With her brother and younger sister downstairs watching TV, he called her upstairs and savagely used the shotgun barrel to rape her; with the threat of ‘blowing her head off from the inside out’, she never asked for help again.

There were however many outward signs of something horrible happening in her life. She made a conscious decision never to bathe in her home again. ‘It was his favorite room to trap me in’, she says in painful memory. ‘He would come in every time, from the time he first married my mother when I was five. He would disgust me in touching, probing, watching, instructing me to wash here, there, do this. I never felt clean and since my mother wouldn’t make him stop, I really had no other choice. I never bathed again for five years and the filth, stench, rot of my skin and teeth were a common discussion and teasing in school. It was also something that couldn’t be hidden’

There are many abusers who know exactly how and where to hit or harm you so that no one ever sees the wounds left behind. In her case, her skin grew covered with filth in every crevice of her young child body. Quickly infection started, and her skin covered with pus-filled, infected, deep pitted sores. It spread quickly as she lay in bed at night, scratching and digging in the filth covered skin, while waiting for her ‘family terrorist’ to come prowling around her room. From age 10 to 17, they lived in the center of this small coal mining town. She attended the same school system, engaged with the same circle of family friends and school mates. They all watched, yet didn’t know how to respond to the young girl who was commonly known as the tag, ‘Village Whore’.

Today she may carry the scars of her brutal past, but this survivor has published her story in the fact-based novel, ‘My Justice’ and built a credible website & talk radio network which gained more than 45,000 listens in the short 18 months of broadcasting. She has given her voice at venues from the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan, National Crime Victims Rights Week, Rescue & Restore, and in the wake of many trainings she’s attended and research to understand the aftermath of these battles, helping to ensure not another person suffers in this way; she’s developed Butterfly Dreams Abuse Recovery & the ‘Steps to Recovery’ presentation.

Find out how to prevent the crime of child sexual abuse. Find out from a survivor how to spot a victim, report a crime or attack against you or someone else. Learn about the ongoing challenges in our Department of Children’s Services to respond and assist the more than 3.7 million reports of child maltreatment across the country. For the survivors, victims, and families who are suffering from many types of trauma, alcohol & drug addictions, fears, bullying and other societal difficulties; there is a plan of action she has developed for every person who is rebuilding their life to begin doing right this instant. You are not the past harm against you, but you most definitely are the heroic person who has endured and you have a life to get busy living. Use the ‘Daily Building Tools’ as listed on her website at http://www.butterflydreamsabuserecovery.com – You’ll see her information working together we can help end this suffering and bring about a better human society for all persons.

Patricia has been able to climb to the other side of her life, but not without great friends supporting her and challenges which she had to battle through on her own. Her heart & spirit are sincere, true, authentic and in what she’s doing today she hopes to help as many people as possible change their views about these types of crimes, which are very real, very painful and do exist within our families every single day.

Patricia, ‘Trish’, has worked her way through recovery and rebuilding with the love of a wonderful man, good friends, and believing in having fun. Her greatest pleasure and place where she feels at peace is riding on the back of her husband’s Harley Davidson and cruising on a hot Summer’s day. We need to enjoy our life, it is a precious gift. I know it hurts that someone has committed awful acts against you, but taking back your right to life, liberty and security in your person is not only a possibility, but it is a necessity. You have so much more to live for and a life waiting for you to create through your own special focus and magic.

Check out Patricia’s story in the publication of ‘My Justice’, available through most online resources. Also, check out the information on her website & the many talk radio broadcasts on Butterfly Dreams Talk Radio. Remember that what’s happened throughout centuries has been taught human behaviors, so we can turn it around by teaching our children and youth today that they do have a voice. They can protect themselves from a dangerous person, dating friend, or a dangerous household. They can watch out for their friends at school and in their neighborhoods. Teach our kids that they can change the future and they are the beginning of the end of this vicious cycle of human suffering.

With the support we’ve been blessed to gain in wanting to help update our Criminal Statutes and Public Policy, Lisa Chilton (Director of Legal Advocacy St. Clair County & Educator Domestic Violence Offender Reform Program), Dana Pfeiffer (Exec. Director Grounds of Grace, 501c3), Illinois House Representative Jay Hoffman & Illinois States Attorney Brendan Kelly, there is a live petition to introduce the Family Terrorist Act – ‘Trecia’s Law’. We would appreciate your support by visiting this link and signing your name. We are asking our government officials to review the guidelines of this amendment and implement the updates needed to better protect the Universal Right to be safe & live safe for every human being.

There is limitless information available about these types of issues which were not available decades ago. The social media and the development of internet have brought survivors of these past generations together in strong forces across the country and around the world. Hopefully you enjoyed getting aquainted with Patricia McKnight and be sure to connect on her Facebook profile at www.facebook.com/triciagirl 62

We are a society with free will, every time you make a choice to not harm, or to harm, remember it is YOUR CHOICE, and you can only control YOUR ACTIONS. Stay positive, give hope, spread some joy, and definitely be a helping hand to someone in need. Working together as one society we can bring an end to these horrible acts and reduce the impact it leaves behind on its victims.

**Always believe anything is possible with you in the active equation of life**~~trish mcknight

Perhaps you may never feel safe enough to speak up and you may never be able to find justice for all the crimes against you. However, if you are one of these persons and you’ve not yet found the courage to face the darkest of your demons, let me ask;

How are things in your relationships today? Does your spouse or partner have a good relationship with your child? Do they use forceful punishment, then tell you the child deserved it? Have they ever left a bruise on your child, used a belt, or even punched your child?

Do you feel powerless against them or believe them because they show such remorse, possibly even shed a tear over the harm they caused against your child? Do they over power you, cut you down, then turn around and praise how beautiful you are and show sincere emotion when you forgive them?

There was a particular case which was kind of tossed into my lap yesterday. I cannot explain how close to home this case is, nor cannot discuss much in detail, as the case itself is still pending.

A young woman I know, whom I love and trusted as a person, had her young child taken into protective custody a few days ago. The 5 year old had been beaten with a belt and when I saw the pictures my stomach turned. I knew the case was much more than this young woman had shared with me, in fact she and her significant other had me convinced that CPS had taken the child away for a fall which left a bruise. However since it wasn’t the first time they had been investigated I knew that something must be wrong. In fact, the case was so personal for me that I actually feared how much could have happened and exactly how it had all been allowed to get to this extreme.

The young mother had been beaten and left in her crib to cry without comfort by a stepmother when she was a child. She had seen her mother be beaten and had lived the first 10 years of her life in chaos. Although her mother had tried in a number of ways to heal the past pain, this case showed me just how serious providing conviction of offenders, giving support services for all victims involved, and ensuring that family support is accessible to everyone; rather than something a family should be ashamed of needing.

This young woman had fallen for the wrong man twice already by the time she was just twenty years old. None of her romantic involvements ever made her feel good about herself, most commonly that had berated her and never taken care of her, not even the father of her child. The two relationships ended badly and when the baby was just 1 year old the mother ran to someone who said, ‘Stay here with me and I will help you.’

She fell for this man hard. Many times I’d go visit with concerns about little warning signs I’d seen in the little child’s development and how this child connected with the new man in mother’s life. I had personally tried many times to help mom get them safe, rebuild life skills to always take care of her child, even discussed my concerns about his manipulating & controlling this young mom and how I truly felt he was a danger to them both. Sadly, nothing I’d ever said or did worked, even addressing the issue would cause this young mom to shut me out for months at a time. Mom stayed with this man, who I later found out the other night, has quite some history of his own.

The past four years Children’s Services had been to their home, twice I’d reported them myself out of extreme concern for the child’s wellbeing. Sadly, no case worker ever found cause to remove the young child. I could see the fear in her face however, saw mother’s inability to actually interact with her child and knew it would take something severe before anything would ever happen.

Together, as I was asked to come and help support this young mom now facing a protective custody hearing for her child; the man in her life who I had witnessed his direct control over her many times, sat and told me about his history. I was shocked this young mom could be pulled in to such a web of insanity. He had a diagnosis of Schizophrenia. He had been sent to maximum security as a juvenile sex offender; he was 14 the young girl then was 10. He had been arrested for Crystal Meth, and now he was intent on packing a bag to run away with this young mom. He didn’t even want to stay for the hearing. He kept telling me how it would be turned against him, be exaggerated into something much more than a fall; he was afraid of returning to prison for the third time, especially for beating a young defenseless child.

I spent the night at their house, only for the mother and to help speak for how much she loved her baby so much and the positive changes I had seen in her, especially these last few months. As I lay on their couch that night I couldn’t believe that I’d been drawn into a mess like this, a mom whom I would never suspect but a man I most certainly knew from the very beginning had a dark past and now had this young wounded mother twisted around his finger like a little puppet. He could make her believe anything because she had been so broken before. He told her how beautiful she was. He told her and me how he loved this little child of hers like his own and would never ever do anything to harm a fragile person who could not defend themselves.

When we arrived at the hearing, I was asked if I wanted to see the pictures of this so called bruise, which this mom and her man had spent four hours the night before convincing me was from a fall off the couch she had been jumping on…..children will be children and they do fall. Anyway, this was no ordinary bruise from a fall, that is unless she fell off of a house. It was deep purple, yellow, black, and had red lashes which at first I thought were from a large handprint. It was sickening and I knew this young mom loved her special needs child so very much. I knew she was vulnerable, in fact had been vulnerable all her life simply because of the chaotic history that she’d lived in those first ten years herself.

Needless to say the young child was kept in protective services, pending further investigation and another hearing. As I drove this young mother back to her house she informed me that her man had used his belt on this little child. The bruise covered her entire side, so my thoughts were horrified at how it could be possible. Mom said, ‘if she wouldn’t have moved’. Couldn’t believe what I was hearing, couldn’t believe that I thought this young mom, although vulnerable to fall in with the wrong man, would certainly protect HER young child.

This young child had just started school this year. She was in special learning because her mother didn’t know how to interact or the heavy responsibility of having a child in the first place. Mother told me her child was misbehaving, jumping around and screaming, she wouldn’t listen. Mother told me her man was so remorseful, he had been crying for days over this and it would never happen again. No it won’t if I have anything to do with it at all, this young mother whom I trusted, believed, and thought for sure; although a bit broken would do the right thing when it came to her child, had sat silent listening to her child scream for mercy and cry because of this huge 300 lb man beating her with a leather belt. Now this mom is defending this man, saying she will take the blame so that he doesn’t have to go back to prison. We never really know what type of abuse or harm is being inflicted on a young child. They cannot speak out, they may not be able to speak clearly at all. They cannot fight back. They cannot run away and they cannot do anything their parent/parents do not allow.

I’m grateful the system finally stepped in and is now in charge of what happens to this child, yet I feel such guilt over just how much I thought I believed in this young mom, however only to find that I never really knew anything at all. It had all been lies to cover up the cruel actions against this precious child. Do we really know the truth about anyone, even those closest to us? Do we know what really happens inside their house, inside the realm of their family circle? It is up to us to change how cases are investigated, to change the system and make sure above all else the right to be safe is always upheld, especially when it is the right of a child to sleep and live in a SAFE & LOVING home.

Today I’m begging everyone to be on alert for the sake of the children around you. Do not wait until its too late to do something and protect these children, all children. Help us amend our public policy and our prosecutorial processes to make sure and hold even those who we believe are trusted persons, responsible for the harm they inflict against a defenseless child. Help us by reading the ‘LETTER TO….’ section of this petition. Help us by signing your name and then begging your friends to do the same. If they refuse, please ask them why, perhaps they themselves are secret abusers who teach their children they are bad, they deserve this punishment, they deserve to be beaten because they did not listen. There is a huge difference between corrective parenting and these secret types of predators. The man this mother chose has a juvenile sex offender record, he’s been caught having sex with a 16 year old neighbor girl, whom this young mother then blamed that girl because ‘she came on to him’. Please friends help us ensure that the right to BE SAFE & LIVE SAFE is upheld for all persons but most definitely our young children who are trapped inside the control of their parents and whom, without intervention, may never know what a loving safe home is really supposed to be like. Thank you ——- FOLLOW THIS LINK——

Thank you for reading. I pray you will help us move forward. You can encourage your local politicians, your prosecuting attorneys, family service providers to begin addressing this very serious issue. You can donate, by just clicking the ‘PROMOTE’ button on the petition, which helps reach out to more persons within the Change.org system. Please help us enforce the Universal Right to be Safe for all Children.